On November 29th, 2017 at approximately 16:31, Somerville Police Dispatch received a call for shots fired in the area of Myrtle Street at Perkins St (see incident #17072516). Officers on scene were able to locate one spent 9mm shell casing. Detective Jones who was investigating this particular case, advised Detectives that one of the three males involved was a black male wearing a red hooded sweatshirt. He was also given information that a gray sedan possibly a Honda was seen leaving this area shortly after the shooting occurred.

For the remainder of the night, Detectives in the Somerville Police Narcotics Unit as well as the Somerville Police Gang Unit, in multiple unmarked vehicles, conducted a saturation patrol in an undercover capacity in this general area. Detectives were concerned that a retaliatory act would take place.

At approximately 9:15 p.m., while conducting this surveillance, I, Detective Goncalves, observed a gray Honda Accord. Detectives were able to determine that the vehicle was occupied four times. Three out of the four individuals were positively identified by Detectives as Justin Myrick (front seat passenger), Michael Castillo (rear passenger driver side), and a juvenile known to the Commonwealth (rear passenger, passenger side) hereby referred to as Juvenile 1. These individuals are well known to the Somerville Police Department in particular the Narcotic and Gang Units.

Somerville Housing Police as well as Somerville Police have received information regarding these particular individuals actively involved in narcotics sales as well as possessing firearms.

Based on the above information and the earlier incident involving shots fired, Detectives Cicerone, Legros, Costa and I as well as Sgt. Detective Capasso, kept a rolling surveillance of the gray Honda Accord and its occupants. During this surveillance, the vehicle kept repeatedly traveling through the same area of lower Broadway as well as sections of Charlestown that border the Somerville city line. It appeared to Detectives that the vehicle was conducting surveillance of these particular streets. During their travels, it appeared that the back seat passengers (Juvenile 1 and Michael Castillo) became aware that they were being followed and repeatedly turned around to monitor Detectives’ whereabouts. They then proceeded to crouch lower in the back seat of the vehicle, preventing us from being able to clearly observe them.

At this point, we believed the operator, later identified as Mario Mestanza-Moran, was attempting to lose any following vehicles and began disregarding street signs including the stop sign at Perkins St. at Mt. Vernon, a public way in the City of Somerville, as well as the do not enter sign located on Perkins St. by Caldwell St. At times, the vehicle was traveling in excess of 50mph. Detectives determined the vehicle should be stopped and requested a marked unit to our location.

Officer O’Meara, operating a marked Somerville police cruiser, activated his blue lights and sirens and began to initiate a motor vehicle stop of this vehicle at the intersection of McGrath Highway and Medford St. Once Mestanza-Moran became aware that the cruiser was approaching his vehicle, he abruptly turned into an unknown driveway located at 281 Medford St. and parked. Detectives then proceeded to stop their unmarked vehicles directly behind the Honda Accord. The four males then abruptly began to exit the vehicle in efforts to evade the police. Detectives quickly approached the male parties and handcuffed them for officer safety.

At this time, Officers Canty, Marra and Sousa arrived on scene and helped separate all parties. As Officer Canty and O’Meara were standing beside the vehicle, they could see in plain view a black firearm on the floor board between the front and rear passenger side seat of the vehicle. Officer Canty immediately took possession of the firearm and rendered it safe. The location of this firearm was in the exact spot that Juvenile 1 was previously seated.

Officers then began to conduct pat frisks of the male parties. Officer Marra pat frisked Justin Myrick and confiscated a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be Marijuana in his right front pants pocket. Sgt. Capasso conducted a pat frisk of Michael Castillo and confiscated a green and black folding knife located in his left inner jacket pocket

Sgt. Capasso then requested a tow truck respond to our location and tow the vehicle back to Somerville Police Headquarters. Sgt. Capasso and Detective Cicerone followed the vehicle the entire way back to the Somerville Police garage.

All parties were placed under arrest and transported to Somerville Police Headquarters by Officer Brown in marked wagon #200. They were booked in the usual manner by Lt. Digregorio and Lt. Lavey.

Juvenile 1 was charged with the violation of M.G.L c. 269 s10, Firearm, Carry with Ammunition

Michael Castillo was charged with the violation of a VCO, Possession of a Dangerous Weapon

Justin Myrick was charged with the violation of M.G.L c94C s32C, Drug, Possession with Intent to Distribute Class D

Mario Mestanza-Moran was charged with the violation of M.G.L c90 s24, Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle and was issued Massachusetts Uniform Citation #R7096398.